Today’s best bets, by Chris Cook
How interesting to see that Lord Windermere has been committed to the Grand National, particularly since he hardly looks well handicapped in light of the way he ran in the Gold Cup. If the weights were being set now, he could reasonably expect to be a few pounds lower.
Lord Windermere has raced in Grade Ones in his last seven races, all the way back to November 2013, but this latest news looks like an admission by his connections that he may no longer belong at that level. Cheltenham was the place where he came good for the last two years but, now that he seems as beatable there as anywhere else, owner and trainer are perhaps willing to try anything.
Well, it might work and I hope he runs well. The way he finished off last year’s Gold Cup suggests he has plenty of stamina. But his only win over fences away from Cheltenham was in a beginners chase and there is next to nothing in his non-Cheltenham form to suggest he can be the first National winner since Red Rum in 1974 to shoulder so much weight to victory.
It’ll be interesting to see if Royal Native is turned out at Wincanton today, with a 7lb penalty for winning on Tuesday. He beat only one other finisher, has never won back to back races and there can’t be many horses who have won over three miles at Exeter and are then good for anything more than a long lie down the next day.
But he looks like starting favourite if he does go. I shall take a chance at 8-1 or so on Days Ahead (3.50), whose Irish form suggests he prefers a sound surface, which he should get here. He was predictably stuffed on soft and then heavy on his first two starts since moving to Dorset but did a lot better behind an uncatchable winner at the last meeting here. From the same mark, he looks a contender.
At Kempton tonight, I like Dalaki (7.45), who seems to have recovered his best form since joining Jim Boyle from Clive Brittain. He scored with a degree of comfort around here in January and again ran well despite trouble in running last time. The step back up in trip should help, while the booking of Adam Kirby is no negative. He’s 7-2.
Tipping competition, day three
Our winners so far:
Monday
New Horizons 4-1
Rolling Maul 8-1
Poker School 2-1
Tuesday
Royal Native 2-1
Mr Lando 11-4
Free Of Charge 9-1
And our leader is …
Viejo +13.75
… who has had the last four winners! gildedvanity (+11.75) is a close second.
Today, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 3.20 Wincanton, 3.40 Towcester, 6.45 Kempton.
This week’s prize is rather special, a copy of Timeform’s Racehorses of 2014, the definitive reflection on last year’s Flat season and its horses by those dedicated experts at the respected ratings organisation. Retailing at £79, this hefty tome includes extended essays on more than 75 of the leading horses from last year as well as an individual entry for every British-based horse that ran on the Flat in 2014. It runs to more than 1,200 pages and, if you don’t win, you can buy it here.
As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers. If you have not joined in so far this week, you are welcome to do so today, but you will start on -6.
In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day.
For terms and conditions click here. Good luck!
Click here for all the day’s racecards, form, stats and results. And post your tips or racing-related comments below.
